Cognitive Engineering & Self-Mastery — Part 2A: Attentional Skill-Building & Deep Work Systems

Track: Stability · Selectivity · Controlled Shifting · Ultradian Planning · Output Architecture

Attention is not a personality trait; it’s a trainable instrument. We tune it with drills and protect it with design.

The Three Capacities of Trainable Attention

1. Stability — hold a target without drift.
2. Selectivity — amplify signal, mute noise.
3. Controlled Shifting — change focus on schedule, not impulse.

Supporting controls: Inhibition (don’t click), Working-Memory Gating (hold + manipulate), State Regulation (breath, posture, focal length).

Core Drills (10–15 minutes total per day)

1) Spotlight Narrowing (Stability)

• Pick a single object or paragraph. Set a 5-minute timer. Each time your mind wanders, mark a dot, return immediately. Record dot count.
• Goal: dot count ↓ over a week. Upgrade: extend to 8–10 minutes.

2) Signal–Noise Filter (Selectivity)

• Skim an article with a goal question. Extract 3 signal sentences, 3 noise sentences. Rewrite signals into a 25-word summary.
• Goal: time ↓ and precision ↑. Upgrade: perform on competing sources.

3) Timed Shift Ladder (Controlled Shifting)

• Cycle A→B→A with timers: 10 min A, 2 min reset, 10 min B, 2 min reset, 10 min A. No partial carryover; each start is cold.
• Goal: ramp-up latency ≤60s on each return.

4) Inhibition Micro-Drill (Impulse Brake)

• When the urge to check arises, breathe once (4-4-8), label the urge (e.g., “novelty”), and write one line on the current line—then continue.

5) Working-Memory Slots (Gating)

• Keep exactly 3 actionable items in view. Everything else moves to an “icebox” list. Replace only when an item is done.

Deep Work Systems

Block Patterns

• Starter: 50–10 (50 min focus, 10 min recovery).
• Graduate: 90–20 ultradian (once Part 1C is stable).
• Constraint Days: 25–5 micro-blocks chained.

Pre-Block Readiness Checklist (30–90 seconds)

• Single-Surface on task doc
• Phone out of room
• Focus token on (same soundtrack/lighting)
• Define “Two Wins” for this block

Post-Block Reset (≤4 steps)

• Save → write Next Line (the very next action)
• Stand + 20-second distance gaze
• Log depth score 1–5
• Drink water → 2-minute walk

Two-Win Rule

Each block sets exactly two measurable wins. If both complete early, stop. Over-completion burns tomorrow’s attention.

3T Model (Task → Time → Trigger)

• Task: verb + object (“Draft intro paragraph”).
• Time: scheduled block window.
• Trigger: Focus token + timer start.

Attention Diet (What you feed it, it becomes)

• Morning: input fast until first block ends.
• Midday: one curated source only; summarise to 25 words.
• Evening: no novelty 60 minutes before sleep.

Environment as API

• Light: bright, overhead, early day.
• Angle: screen at eye level; chair at 90°.
• Sound: one consistent soundscape (no lyrics) for Focus token.

Deep Work Calendar (paste into Notes)

WEEK PLAN (Deep Work)
Mon: __:__–__:__  /  __:__–__:__
Tue: __:__–__:__  /  __:__–__:__
Wed: __:__–__:__  /  __:__–__:__
Thu: __:__–__:__  /  __:__–__:__
Fri: __:__–__:__  /  __:__–__:__
Sat: optional     Sun: review + light learning
  

Focus Scorecard (daily)

SCORECARD
- Blocks Planned: ___  Kept: ___
- Avg Ramp-Up Latency: ___ s
- Interruptions / hr: ___
- Depth Score (1–5): ___
- Tabs Max: ___   Breaches: ___
Notes: ________________________________________________________
  

Free Execution Prompt — Attention & Deep Work Systems Coach (10-Year Proof)

You are my Attention & Deep Work Systems Coach (Part 2A).
Goal: train stability, selectivity, controlled shifting; install sustainable block patterns with KPIs.

COLLECT FIRST:
1) Workload type (creative, analytical, admin blend)
2) Available daily windows (start/end; family constraints)
3) Current ramp-up latency (mins) and typical tab count
4) Top 3 interruption sources (apps/people/self)
5) One meaningful 14-day target (artifact or outcome)

DO THIS:
1) Propose a 7-day Deep Work Calendar using 50–10 pattern (or 25–5 if necessary); specify focus tokens and Two-Win goals per block.
2) Prescribe three daily drills: Spotlight Narrowing (5–8 min), Signal–Noise Filter (1 article), Timed Shift Ladder (A→B→A).
3) Design an Inhibition Micro-Drill for the user’s #1 impulse, with a one-line “Next Line” script.
4) Generate a Focus Scorecard and a weekly Review Template (plain text).
5) Create an Attention Diet plan (morning fast, curated midday, evening wind-down).
6) Define KPIs and thresholds for High / Moderate / Low progress and a 14-day adaptation rule.

OUTPUT:
- 7-day calendar
- 3 daily drills (timed)
- Inhibition script + Next Line
- Scorecard + weekly review
- Attention Diet
- KPI thresholds + adaptation rule

EVIDENCE GRADING:
- High: ramp-up latency ≤60s; interruptions/hr ↓ by 50%; depth ≥3.5/5 across week; ≥80% blocks kept.
- Moderate: latency ≤90s; interruptions ↓ by 25%; depth ≥3/5; ≥60% blocks kept.
- Low: below thresholds → shorten blocks, strengthen tokens, re-train drills.

LINK-FORWARD:
Advance to Part 2B for Working-Memory Engineering & Knowledge Compression.
    

FAQ (Part 2A)

Next: Part 2B — Working-Memory Engineering & Knowledge Compression.

Apply It Now (5 minutes)

1. One action: What will you do in 5 minutes that reflects this essay? (write 1 sentence)
2. When & where: If it’s [time] at [place], I will [action].
3. Proof: Who will you show or tell? (name 1 person)

You are my Micro-Action Coach. Based on this essay’s theme, ask me:
1) My 5-minute action,
2) Exact time/place,
3) A friction check (what could stop me? give a tiny fix),
4) A 3-question nightly reflection.
Then generate a 3-day plan and a one-line identity cue I can repeat.

🧠 AI Processing Reality… Commit now, then come back tomorrow and log what changed.